Biggio's 3,000th hit named top moment

Fans vote milestone as most memorable at Minute Maid

By Brian McTaggart / MLB.com

HOUSTON -- Craig Biggio hasn't played a game for the Astros in more than a year, but he still remains fully entrenched in the hearts of Astros fans.

Biggio's historic 3,000th hit on June 28, 2007, was voted by the fans as the top moment in the 10-year history of Minute Maid Park. Fans have been voting all season on the top moment from a group of 16 that were selected in February and placed in an interactive bracket on Astros.com.

Biggio became the 27th player in Major League history to reach 3,000 hits with a single against Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook during a game in which he went 5-for-6. He was tagged out trying to stretch the hit to a double, but that did nothing to diminish the moment.

As the crowd went wild, the game was paused while Biggio basked in the glory with his wife and children as well as longtime teammate Jeff Bagwell.

"Playing 20 years with one organization in a great city, I have had a lot of good things happen to me, but the 3,000th hit was the best night of my professional life," Biggio said. "To have the fans vote it as the top moment, I am honored.

"It was a night that I will never forget, because I got to enjoy it with my family and the fans and teammates. And to be able to enjoy the moment with Jeff like it happened on the field was truly special. I liked that the fans acknowledged this moment."

Biggio's hit against the Rockies finished ahead of Chris Burke's series-clinching walk-off home run in the 18th inning of Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Championship Series against Atlanta. Biggio's final game with the Astros finished third.

The Astros will celebrate the top moment in Minute Maid Park history with a pregame celebration with Biggio on Aug. 3 against San Francisco. The first 10,000 fans at that game will receive a DVD with the televised broadcast of the game in which Biggio collected his milestone hit.

Jeff Bagwell's game-winning hit in 2002 in honor of Daryl Kile ranked fourth and Brad Ausmus' homer off Mike Hampton in his final game with the Astros last year rounded out the top five.

Here's the rest of the top 10 as voted on by the fans: Ausmus' ninth-inning homer against Atlanta in Game 4 in the 2005 NLDS, Jeff Kent's walk-off homer against St. Louis in Game 5 of the 2004 NLCS, Lance Berkman's eighth-inning grand slam against Atlanta in Game 4 in the 2005 NLDS, the 2004 Home Run Derby and Biggio's jersey retirement last year.

Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.